SCOTTISH Labour has claimed the SNP-Greens co-operation deal is “a greenwashing stunt ahead of COP26” – accusing the junior partner of having “sold out” its values in exchange for power.
When Nicola Sturgeon, alongside Greens co-leaders Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie, announced an agreement between the two parties in August, she said there was “a strong environmental theme to our shared policy agreement”.
She added that the administration will “address with urgency and determination the climate and nature crises which threaten the planet and the security of this and future generations”.
But Monica Lennon, Labour’s net zero spokesperson, has accused the two parties of having undermined efforts for a just transition for workers looking to enter renewable industries and criticised a “screeching U-turn" in dropping plans to set up a public energy company.
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Ms Lennon has also blasted the Scottish Government for what she claimed was a failure to oppose attacks on rail services and workers.
In June, while the Greens were locked in co-operation talks with the SNP, Ms Slater publicly called on the First Minister to accelerate plans to set up a public energy company – Ms Sturgeon’s keynote pledge at the 2017 party conference.
But the policy was absent from the Programme for Government earlier this month with Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson quietly announcing the plans have been “halted”.
Ms Lennon brought forward a motion at Holyrood last week calling for the public energy company proposals to be revived but the plea was rejected by both the SNP and Greens.
READ MORE: Greens minister Lorna Slater unable to say if deposit return scheme will start on time
Labour has also pointed to a string of failures including to secure the creation of two new national parks, a manifesto commitment and a refusal to secure statutory status for the Just Transition Commission, despite a pledge to implement all recommendations.
Ms Lennon said: “We are in a climate crisis and the need for radical environmental action could not be greater.
“A just transition that secures fairness and opportunities for workers and communities is essential, however, the SNP deal with Harvie and Slater will be remembered as a greenwashing stunt ahead of COP26 that was built on broken promises.
“From the screeching U-turn on a public energy company, to failing to oppose attacks on rail services and workers, the Scottish Greens have sold-out and are helping the SNP to do away with vital climate-focused policies.”
She added: “Any Green party worthy of the name would be fighting tooth and nail for climate justice and a just transition for workers – instead the Scottish Greens are signing blank cheques for an SNP Government that is not willing to act.
“If we are to act now to secure a just transition and climate justice, we need to stop new incinerators, support green rail travel, invest in a worker-led just transition and a create a publicly-owned energy company.”
READ MORE: SNP refuses to revive public energy company pledge
A spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: “Labour has just readmitted a group of councillors in Aberdeen who, in coalition with the Tories, are pursuing plans to build a huge incinerator and signed a deal with fossil fuel giants BP to lead work on a transition.
“If Labour think that bringing on board the arsonist to put out the fire is the way to tackle the climate crisis they are clearly more deluded than we realised.
“Working in government, the Scottish Greens are accelerating £1.8 billion investment in warm homes and low carbon buildings, doubling Scotland’s capacity for onshore wind to pave the way for a just transition and shifting the focus of transport policy towards public transport and active travel. We are delivering at least one new national park, even if Labour expected it in three weeks.
“Now the Scottish Greens are in government we can focus on the most effective model of publicly owned energy as promised in our manifesto and help build a people’s railway when the Scotrail franchise is brought into public hands.
"Labour are welcome to play a more constructive role in this progress towards a greener Scotland, but it seems they are more interested in shallow point scoring from the sidelines.”
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